TORONTO, November 20, 2015 – NRStor and the Advanced Energy Centre (AEC) at MaRS Discovery District announced today a new partnership formalizing ongoing collaboration to advance energy storage in Ontario and create global opportunities for Ontario’s energy entrepreneurs.

Both the AEC and NRStor recognize that the renewal of Canada’s remote off-grid energy systems pose an immediate opportunity for First Nation, Metis, Innu and Inuit communities from coast to coast. By collaborating with utilities and governments to deploy renewable energy, energy storage and smart microgrid systems, these communities can realize significant economic, environmental and social benefits. Both the AEC and NRStor will work together to overcome systemic gaps and barriers that are hindering the deployment of renewable microgrids in Canada’s remote and aboriginal communities. By conducting research on the flow of capital into off-grid energy systems in Canada, they will use these findings to propose strategies for diverting funds towards long-term economic and clean power in these regions. The AEC and NRStor aim to illustrate how reallocation of these investments can unlock funding for more pressing social priorities within northern and remote communities.

“Increased microgrid development unlocks huge economic potential for the 175 aboriginal and northern off-grid communities in Canada, driving private investment into these areas. We look forward to working with the Advanced Energy Centre, to remove some of the policy, contracting and financing barriers that are preventing the proliferation of these systems,” said Annette Verschuren, CEO of NRStor and newly appointed board member of MaRS Discovery District.

“Now is the time to capitalize on the breadth of Canadian innovation in the area of renewable energy, microgrids and smart technologies for remote communities. We are now moving beyond the pilot phase for these systems, and are ready for deployment and commercialization. The Advanced Energy Centre believes that this collaboration will go a long way towards removing some of the key barriers currently affecting microgrid rollout across Canada. We are continually impressed by NRStor’s innovation and leadership in the energy storage sector, as well as their progressive work on microgrids, and are very pleased to be welcoming them as our new partner,” said Ron Dizy, Managing Director of MaRS Advanced Energy Centre.

About the Advanced Energy Centre
Part of MaRS Discovery District, the Advanced Energy Centre (AEC) is a public-private partnership with the mission of fostering the adoption of innovative energy technologies in Ontario and Canada, and leveraging those successes and experiences into international markets. The AEC works with Canadian startups and SMEs in the cleantech and, specifically, the energy sector. Its role is to actively develop partnerships that will help bring these technologies to global markets. Within Canada, the AEC works to identify and remove systemic barriers to the adoption of energy innovation.

About NRStorNRStor Inc. is a privately held Toronto-based energy storage project developer and owner focused on accelerating the development & construction of industry-leading energy storage technologies. NRStor partners with progressive stakeholders and leading energy storage technologies to build, own and operate commercial projects in order to deliver better energy storage solutions.